ALL ABOUT KEFIR, ONE OF NATURES MOST PROBIOTIC RICH SUPER FOOD ON THE PLANET:

Say goodbye to Immune problems, anxiety, Cancer, IBS, Allergies, Asthma, Lactose Intolerance, amongst others and allow me to introduce you to Kefir, my favourite superfood… 

I have been meaning to blog about this little magical cauliflower like grains for a while now, as Kefir is an AMAZING Superfood!!!!
I can’t explain how great I feel since I have introduced this to my life…
Its super easy to prepare and it only takes 24-48 hours to turn fresh milk into Yogurt like Kefir while the grains grow in the process for you to later share with friends. This is probiotics on steroids.
The name explains it all. Do you remember the word keif? Keif bru? Well that’s where Kefirs name comes from. The feeling of ‘keifness’ after eating, no jokes. Kefir has a calming effect on the nervous system and once you have tried it, there is no turning back!

-Mix 100ml Kefir with 200g frozen pawpaw or any fruit in a blender  for a quick snack or smoothie. As I have done in the pic
or
-Mix 200ml kefir, 1 lemon, salt and pepper and an avo for a great dip or salad dressing
 

This is what Dr Axe has to say:

FACTS AND HEALTH BENEFITS OF KEFIR:

Unique Kefir Benefits

Kefir is a unique cultured dairy product that is one of the most probiotic rich foods on the planet and has incredible medicinal benefits for healing issues like leaky gut.

Its unique name comes from the Turkish work “keif”, which means “good feeling”.

Kefir Benefits and Nutrition Facts

Kefir is a fermented milk product (cow, goat or sheep milk) that tastes like a drinkable yogurt.

Kefir contains high levels of vitamin B12, calcium, magnesium, vitamin K2, biotin, folate, enzymes and probiotics.  

BENEFITS:

• Boost Immunity
• Heal Inflammatory Bowel Disease
• Build Bone Density
• Fight Allergies
• Improve Lactose Digestion
• Kill Candida
• Support Detoxification

Kefir Probiotics Are Powerful:

Kefir is one of the highest probiotic foods you can eat with several important probiotic strains. And homemade kefir far outranks any store-bought variety:

GUT LOVE
Kefir Grains Good For Your MicroBiome :

Did you know that over 75% of your immune system is housed in your digestive system?  Essentially, trillions upon trillions of “good” bacteria and fungus kill the “bad” microorganisms, which keeps you alive and well.

So what happens when you take antibiotics or regularly use antibacterial lotions and soaps?

You literally kill the good bacteria and the bad ones take over. 

This, in turn, disturbs the symbiosis (balance) of your microbiome, which will lead to digestive issues and immune reactions.

Studies have linked everything from autism to most chronic diseases to leaky gut syndrome and improper digestion. Bottom line is that if you can’t absorb the nutrients in your food because you don’t have the proper bacteria balance in your gut, your body will never run on all cylinders because it lacks the fuel.

Kefir Health Benefits Proven By Medical Studies

First described by tribes in Russia, “kefir grains” are actually not grains at all, but are a delicate balance of yeast and bacteria.

Able to ferment milk in around 24 hours, kefir grains can transform raw milk into a Superfood probiotic drink (kefir), a naturally-carbonated, refreshing beverage that has several key medicinal benefits.

Rich in Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidobacterium bifidum, kefir also provides significant amounts of lactic acid bacteria and beneficial yeast. In fact, the cocktail of beneficial microbiota within kefir makes it one of the most powerful probiotic foods on the planet!

1. Fights Cancer – Consumption of fermented foods has been shown to kill several different types of cancerous tumors in animal studies. The Journal of Dairy Science, for example, published a study that evaluated the immune cells in mice and discovered that regular kefir consumption helps stop breast cancer growth.

2. Supports Detoxification – “Mutagens” are various agents that can literally alter your DNA and can be found everywhere in our environment.

Aflatoxins, for example, are food-born toxins created by mold and can be found in many ground nuts (which is why peanut butter causes allergies and immune reactions), crude vegetable oils (like canola, soybean, and cottonseed), and grains (wheat, soy, and corn).

Being rich in lactic acid bacteria, kefir can literally bind (kill) aflatoxins and other funguses, which helps preserve healthy genetic expression.

3. Boosts Immunity – Next time you get sick, think twice about taking an antibiotic and drink kefir instead. A study out of University College Cork in Ireland compared Lactobacillus probiotic preparations, and compared them to conventional antibiotics in three animal models that are similar to humans. They discovered that, “In all three animal diseases we observed a positive effect in that the animals were significantly protected against infection.”

In fact, the researchers discovered that probiotics worked as well as or even better than antibiotic therapy in not only eliminating the infectious agent, but in resolving symptoms!

4. Builds Bone Density – A 2014 study published in the journal of Osteoporosis International found that consuming kefir benefits bone density and can reduce the risk of osteoporosis.  The researchers found kefir works by increasing the absorption of bone building minerals of calcium and magnesium.

The probiotics in kefir improve nutrient absorption and the dairy itself contains all of the most important nutrients for improving bone density including phosphorus, calcium, magnesium, vitamin D and vitamin K2.

5. Heals IBS and IBD – Because of the high doses of probiotics including the strains of lactobacillus and bifidobacterium kefir is also an effective natural treatment for irritable bowel syndrome. A study published in a Canadian medical journal found that probiotic rich foods, including yogurt and kefir, can help heal IBS and reduce bowel inflammation.

6. Allergies and Asthma – In a recent study published in the Journal of Immunology, kefir was found to have both positive effects on allergies and asthma. In the study, kefir significantly suppressed inflammatory markers of interleukin-4, T-helper cells and IgE immunoglobulins. The researchers stated that kefir has strong anti-inflammatory properties that could prove useful in the prevention of asthma.

7. Improves Lactose Intolerance  – It may sound crazy, but yes fermented milk products like kefir can help people with milk-related lactose intolerance. To grip your brain around this, you have to keep in mind that fermentation changes the chemical make-up of foods and, as in the case of fermented milk, kefir is relatively low in lactose.

Additionally, if you struggle with lactose problems, you may want to try adding kefir to your diet in small amounts because a study in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association showed that, “Kefir improves lactose digestion and tolerance in adults with lactose malabsorption.” As a disclaimer: although I have found most people do very well with goat’s milk kefir a small percent of people may still have issues with dairy.

If you have had lactose intolerance, my advice is to try it first by placing a small drop of the kefir on the inside of you arm or wrist and let it dry. Then wait 24 hours and see if you have any inflammation. If you do, then steer clear of it. But if not, then try adding just a drop or two to a beverage or some food and see if you have any reaction. You can then increase the amount until you are certain that you are not reacting to it.

As with any food or diet, make sure to listen to your body.

NOTE: If you have had an allergic reaction with any dairy, then I would seek advice from your doctor or natural health practitioner on how to test your allergies without ingesting the kefir.

http://draxe.com/kefir-benefits/

RECIPE:

How To Make Milk Kefir

Makes 1 cup

What You Need

Ingredients

1 cup milk, preferably whole fat (see Recipe Notes)

1 teaspoon active kefir grains (See Recipe Notes)

Equipment

1 pint-sized glass jar

Cheesecloth, paper towel, or clean napkin

Rubberband

Small strainer (preferably plastic, but metal is ok)

Storage container with lid

Instructions

Note: Avoid prolonged contact between the kefir and metal both during and after brewing. This can affect the flavor of your kefir and weaken the grains over time.

Combine the milk and the grains in a jar: 

Pour the milk into a clean glass jar (not metal) and stir in the kefir grains. The milk can be cold or room temperature, either is fine. 

Cover the jar: 

Cover the jar with cheesecloth, a paper towel, or a clean napkin and secure it with a rubber band. Do not screw a lid onto the jar as the build up of carbon dioxide from the fermenting grains can cause pressure to build in the jar, and in extreme cases, cause the jar to burst.

Ferment for 12 to 48 hours: 

Store the jar at room temperature (ideally around 70°F) away from direct sunlight. Check the jar every few hours. When the milk has thickened and tastes tangy, it's ready. This will usually take about 24 hours at average room temperatures; the milk will ferment faster at warmer temperatures and slower at cool temperatures. If your milk hasn't fermented after 48 hours, strain out the grains and try again in a fresh batch (this sometimes happens when using new kefir grains, when refreshing dried kefir grains, or when using grains that have been refrigerated).

Strain out the kefir grains: 

Place a small strainer over the container you'll use to store the kefir. Strain the kefir into the container, catching the grains in the strainer.

Transfer the grains to fresh milk: 

Stir the grains into a fresh batch of milk and allow to ferment again. This way, you can make a fresh batch of kefir roughly every 24 hours. To take a break from making kefir, place the grains in fresh milk, cover tightly, and refrigerate.

Drink or refrigerate the milk kefir: The prepared milk kefir can be used or drunk immediately, or covered tightly and stored in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Recipe Notes

Activating Dried Kefir Grains: 

If you bought your kefir grains in a dried form, rehydrate them by soaking them in fresh milk at room temperature. Change the milk every 24 hours until the grains begin to culture the milk and make kefir. It may take 3 to 7 days for the kefir grains to become fully active.

What Milk to Use: Kefir works best with whole-fat cow, goat, sheep, or other animal milk. You can use low-fat milks, but refresh the grains in whole fat milk if they stop fermenting the kefir properly. Raw and pasteurized milks can be used, but avoid ultra-high temperature (UHT) pasteurized milks.

Making More or Less Kefir: 

You'll need about a teaspoon of grains to ferment 1 to 2 cups of milk. You can also ferment less milk than this, but fermentation will go more quickly. Your grains will start to multiply over time, allowing you to ferment more milk if you like. Maintain a ratio of about a teaspoon of grains to 1 cup of milk.

Taking a Break from Making Kefir: To take a break from making kefir, transfer the grains into a fresh container of milk, cover tightly, and refrigerate for up to a month.

What to Do if Your Kefir Separates: Sometimes kefir will separate into a solid layer and milky layer if left too long. This is fine! Shake the jar or whisk the kefir to recombine and carry on. If this happens regularly, start checking your kefir sooner.

http://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-make-milk-kefir-cooking-lessons-from-the-kitchn-202022#_